The End Of The Beginning
by bushybrow101
Summary: My world was demolished. But he gave it new meaning. KibaHina oneshot.


I only just realized it about 30 seconds ago, but this couple has a lot of potential. They are so unlike each other, its amazing. It gives a new definition to the phrase "opposites attract." Anyway, this takes place in Shippuden, meaning everyone's older, wiser, and more angst filled. Enjoy.

The End of The Beginning

A oneshot by bushybrow101

_"Naruto, I love you!"_

Those dream shattering words echoed in her ears like thunder. Only they didn't fade. The memory kept playing itself in her head like a broken record. And the thought that everything she did up until that moment was pointless made the tears run like mad.

_"I...I appreciate you standing by me up until now, but..."_

Her sad, grey eyes fit her mood perfectly. That familiar lump that was always in her stomach had finally faded, but the heavy depression that she now felt replaced it. Her head ached, and she felt sick. She sprawled face down on her bed, her lengthy, lavender locks flooding the sheets. To her dismay, the room was completely silent. All the better to hear that broken record in her head.

"Hinata? Are you in there?"

Someone began to pound on the door. Hinata rolled over, laid on her back, and stared up at the ceiling, but she did not answer.

The visitor opened the door slowly and poked his head in. His brown eyes softened when he saw his teammate's disposition, and he knew he probably should've left her alone.

"Hinata...?" he whispered, slowly meandering over to her and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Hinata wasn't sure if having Kiba in the room was a good thing or a bad thing. Was another human's presence what she needed at the moment? Or would being alone help her cope? She blinked back tears as Kiba rubbed her shoulder.

"I...I saw what happened..." he murmured. Hinata's eyes moved from the ceiling to her friend. She could see the sincerity in his eyes; but she could also see pity. Something she hated.

"You...you did?" she said hoarsely. He nodded, licking his lips. She looked to his side; Akamaru was there, as he usually was, and he was giving her quite literally the "puppy dog eyes."

She let the silence between them grow for a few minutes. She didn't know if she was ready to talk about it yet. She wasn't ready to think about it, that much was certain. Kiba was one of her best friends, so she couldn't take her rejection out on him. Even if it was the end of her world...

"Yeah. I did. I know he was...everything to you, and I came to...um..." Suddenly, something clicked in Hinata's mind. Kiba was...nervous? They'd known each other for years, and she knew that he was an extrovert person beside that. Why in the world would he be nervous, especially at a time like this?

"Kiba...are you...?"

"...Nervous? Yes. Very much so." He chuckled coyly, taking his hand off her shoulder and scratching the back of his head with it. Hinata watched as Akamaru seemed to smile as well.

"But...why?"

"That...I'm not sure of." He said. Hinata gazed at him for a while, picking her brain for any reason he would possibly be nervous. Because his female teammate was crying? And he was a male who had no idea how to handle this type of thing? Then why would he have bothered coming if he knew there was nothing he could possibly do to help matters?

"Erm...Hinata, are you ok?" he said, breaking her train of thought. She pursed her lips and nodded, shifting her gaze to the ceiling once again. Kiba looked at Akamaru, who took it as a sign to creep out of the room, and bit his lip. He scratched his nose, glanced at Hinata demurely, then accompanied her watchful eyes on the ceiling with his own. He laid down right next to her, matching her position almost exactly.

"How does this entertain you?" he said at last.

"What?"

"I don't know what you could possibly see in this ceiling. It's so dull. Nothing to it at all." Hinata giggled at this, and Kiba reciprocated her smile.

"I do this when I need to think." She said. Kiba turned his head and looked at her.

"What about?"

"Friends, family, life, love..." she trailed off. He watched a single tear trickle down her cheek and onto the pillow that they shared. His eyes grew soft again. He'd made the wrong move.

"Please, Hinata. Don't cry anymore." She turned her head to face him, as he had to her only a moment before. Their faces were mere inches from each other. Kiba felt the blood rush to his face, and was surprised to see it in hers too.

"Why? My world has just imploded, Kiba. The one person I thought that I could trust, the one person that I thought would always be there for me has just smashed my hopes and dreams. You say you saw it happen. How can you not see it in my face?" She looked into his eyes tenderly, awaiting his response when he had none, she returned her gaze to the ceiling once more.

"Hinata...I...I'm here for you." Kiba whispered.

"You...know that, right?" She closed her eyes and said nothing. He sat up again, his back facing her. He held his head in his hands, apparently crushed by this new revelation. She didn't think he cared. He'd gone about it all wrong...

"Kiba?" Hinata opened her eyes. The sadness had not left them, but had dwindled greatly. She looked at him, he who had not answered her call, unaware of what to do or say next. She could see the pain in his posture. She pursed her lips again and followed up on a sudden idea that came to her. She touched his back lightly, and began running her fingers over every detail. She felt the intricacy of his spine, his shoulder blades poking through the skin. She came to rest in the small of his back, and licked the roof of her dry mouth to speak.

"Yes, Kiba. I never realized it before, please forgive me for that. But I know. I know." He lifted his head from his hands and turned back to her, a huge grin on his face.

"I'll race you to the ramen hut. My treat." He said. He helped her up out of the bed and ran out the door. She heard Akamaru scramble to follow him and get out her door. Hinata made no move for the door, however. She closed her eyes and smiled. It was the end of her world. Her old one. But today was also the beginning of a new world. Perhaps, she thought, even better than the old one. She opened her eyes and followed her friend out the door, looking forward to the new world around her.


End file.
